20 of the most memorable Southern California concerts of 2017 – Orange County Register

There were some huge tours, eclectic festivals, impressive comebacks and random one-off shows that happened throughout Southern California in 2017. It all tends to feel like such a blur when you’re in the moment, going from show to show, which is why it’s nice to take a step back at the end of the year and reflect on what was really the best of the best.

Orange County Register reporters Kelli Skye Fadroski and Peter Larsen each attended well over 50 concerts this year and of those, they’ve each narrowed down their top 10 most memorable shows of 2017.

Kelli Skye Fadroski’s Top 10 Shows of 2017

The inaugural Foo Fighters-curated Cal Jam 17 was a success at Glen Helen Regional Park and Amphitheatre in San Bernardino in October. (Photo by John Valenzuela, The Sun/SCNG)

1. Cal Jam ’17 at Glen Helen Regional Park and Amphitheatre

When the members of the rock band Foo Fighters decided to do something, it’s usually something big. In 2017, the band curated the inaugural Cal Jam ’17, modeled after California Jam 1974, a one-day festival that drew over 200,000 fans to Ontario Motor Speedway and featured co-headlining sets by Deep Purple and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Foo Fighters recreated that fun, carefree rock atmosphere on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Glen Helen Regional Park and Amphitheatre in San Bernardino while giving subtle nods to the ’74 fest with strategically placed rainbows.